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‘Blue Bloods’ Star Bridget Moynahan Said Dinner Scenes Are Popular Because Characters Are ‘Most Vulnerable’

Bridget Moynahan has been playing Erin Reagan on “Blue Bloods” since 2010. During that time, she has appeared in 235 episodes. That means she has taken part in nearly the same number of Reagan family dinner scenes. There’s a reason the signature dinner scenes have become so popular, and Bridget Moynahan thinks she knows why.

Erin Reagan is the only daughter of NYPD Commissioner Frank Reagan. As such, she is the mother of Sami Gayle’s Nicky Reagan-Boyle. While she was away at college for a time, Erin Reagan’s daughter, along with her cousins, was a staple at the dinner table. The nature of the family dynamic means fans get to see the Reagans in a very different light than they do when they’re on the job. That all plays into what Bridget Moynahan thinks makes the scenes so popular.

In an interview with “CBS This Morning,” the “Blue Bloods” actress talked about why she thinks the scenes do so well.

“I think it’s the moment that people A) get to see the characters as real humans and the most vulnerable because you’re with your family. But I also think it’s a moment they reflect and think, ‘gosh, I wish we were able to do that,” Moynahan said. “Or maybe looking back on memories and yearning for that. So I think it’s a little bit of all.”

So not only is the vulnerability a major selling point, but the dinner scenes are also aspirational. People picture themselves gathered around the dinner table with their own families. As a tradition, the Reagans very rarely, if ever, miss dinner. In terms of family time, that kind of consistency is enviable for fans of “Blue Bloods” everywhere.

The ‘Blue Bloods’ Actress Prepared Thouroughly for Her Role

As Erin Reagan on “Blue Bloods,” Bridget Moynahan portrays the Bureau Chief at the District Attorney’s office. When the show began, she was playing an assistant District Attorney. However you cut it, her character is an accomplished lawyer.

Bridget Moynahan, however, is not. And to make her Erin Reagan character believable, she had to put in the time and prepare. She spent time with and studied real lawyers to capture their demeanor. And for things like jargon, Bridget Moynahan has the same luxury that all of the actors who portray law enforcement characters have.

She has consultants who are actual lawyers that she can use for reference if she’s ever confused or doesn’t know how to play something.

“We do have a couple of people we rely on to ensure that it’s as credible as possible. We’ve had two on set over the years that I’m able to consult/speak to about how a situation might be handled because we do want to make the show as honest and as accurate as possible,” Moynahan told The Aquarian in 2014. “We do our best and I work with them often.”